Process for making ply-board



Oct. 9, 1934.

c. B. WOODWARD El AL 6,055

PROCESS FOR MAKING FLY-BOARD Original Filed Sept. 17. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I v 11 I o o m: @GFO'M M: n ne @(0 one aha one owo ah W PROCESS FOR MAKING FLY-BOARD Original Filed Sept. 17. 1931 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 9, 19 34 PROCESS FOR. MAKING FLY-BOARD Cornelius B. Woodwardand Robert B. Keefe, Chicago, and Edwin W. Colt, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignors to Armour and Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Original application September 17, 1931, Serial No. 563,350. Divided and this application Novembr 2, 1932, Serial No. 640,856

2 Claims. (Cl. 144-309) The present invention relates to the distribution of materials; and has particular reference to aprocess for distributing finely divided solid.

- particles of 'adhesive materials upon an appro- 5 'priate carrier such as wet veneer sheets in the manufacture of ply-board; this application being a division of our co-pending application Serial No. 563,350 filed September 17, 1931.

A principal object of our'invention is a process for providing a uniform and controlled covering of a finely divided dry adhesive-material upon a carrier. An additional object is to coat a wet carrier, such as veneer sheets, with powdered blood albumen to form thereon an adhesive sur- 5 face, in preparation for joining the sheets in multiple superimposed relation as ply-board. These and other objects will become apparent from a consideration of the following description.

Difliculty has been experienced in obtaining 2O uniform adherence between veneer sheets in the ply-board built up therefrom where, as has hitherto been customary, a liquid adhesive such as glue is applied to the sheets and they are then superimposed and subjected tosustained pressure. The drying of the product is prolonged, blisters are prone to form between the layers, and a defective product is likely to result. The employment of adhesive in dry form has not been successfully attained to our knowledge,

largely due to difiiculties in distribution. That is to say, it has been diflicult to distribute powdered or granular materials evenly by an air blast or spray upon a surface to which such materials will uniformly adhere. This is particularly true in the case of the application of powdered adhesive materials, such as blood albumen, to wet veneer sheets.

In accordance with our invention, the finely divided adhesive material is passed from an ap- 40 propriate hopper through spaced rollers, whereby an accurately determined amount of material is obtained. The powdered or granular material is allowed to fall into and through a zone of turbulent air. ofthe individual particles in the air is obtained asa dust-laden cloud. The particle charged air is then directed downwardly onto an appropriate carrier upon which it is desired to efiect a distribution of the solid particles, primarily by settling as distinguished from an air'blast or spray.

In the drawings: I Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section of apparatus suitable for coating ply-board sheets with. powdered albumen; and

As a result an even distribution Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in 'the drawings, the frame structure of the apparatus is composed of timbers 10 having upwardly extendingsupporting members 11 which are connected by the horizontal bars 12.

Oppositely disposed on the bars 12 are adjustable bearing supporting members 13 having mounted thereon bearings 14. On each of the hearing supporting members 13 is provided a slidable bearing support 15 having an upwardly extending projection 16. This projection is provided with an opening into which is threaded the shaft of a micrometer adjusting device 17 having a hand-operated wheel 18. It is evident that by turning the wheel in one direction the slidable bearing support is caused to move forward while rotation of thewheel in the opposite direction efiects a retraction of said slidable bearing support.

Mounted in the corresponding bearings 14 of the oppositely disposed bearing supporting members 13 are rollers 19. These rollers are driven by driven gears 20 meshing with a suitable driving gear, and their direction of rotation is clockwise, as shown by the arrows inrFig. 1. The direction of rotation may, however, be regulated in accordance with operating factors such as the size or nature of the material being distributed s5 and speedof operation of the apparatus.

It is evident that by regulating the micrometer adjusting mechanism, the distance between the rolls may be varied, thereby accurately controlling the amount of materials which will pass therebetween. To produce an even distribution it is desirable to synchronize the two micrometer adjusting devices in order to insure a uniform space between the rollers.

In the distribution of finely. divided materials,

particularly those tending to become adhesive in the presence of moisture, it is desirable to provide the rollers 19 with heating means to insure against agglomeration. As shown in Fig. 2, the hollow rollers may be provided in such instances with an inlet steam pipe 46 and an outlet or condensate pipe 47. The rollers are thus maintained at a sufiiciently elevated temperature to preclude collection of moisture thereon, or to impart the desired elevation of temperature to the material being distributed.

Mounted upon rolls 19 are semi-circular bearing sleeves 21 which form a rigid support for the feed hopper 23. The feed hopper is provided with a sloping bottom terminating in an opening 22- which islocated directly abovethe opening between rolls 19. c

Extending vertically from-bars 12 of the frame are rods 24 having nuts 25 and springs 26 positioned about-the'---upper portions thereof. The bottom of springs 26 rest against the top of ears 27 through which rods 24 extend. Ears 27 are rigidly secured to the top of the feed hopper to form a support for the latter. It is desirable that the hopper rest firmly against the feed rollers. The weight of thehopper and its contents assist in this respect, but it is preferred to regulate nuts 25 so that springs 26 exert pressure to the ears 27, thereby pressing the feed hopper downwardly against the rolls. Directly beneath the opening between the feed rollers are positioned air-lines 28. These lines consist of supply pipes 29, extended manifold chambers 30, and male portions 31, the latter being provided-with outletopen'ings 32.

The air lines 28-direct converging streams of air meeting substantially in the axis of an adjustable discharge hopper which is made up of downwardly extending and plates 33, and adjustable side plates 34 forming a'chute of large area relative to that of the opening 32. Adjustment of the sideplates is eifected by regulating theposition of bars 35 with respect to clamping screws 36, the latter being rigidly supported by bars 37 v variation will be reflected by a change in th whichare mounted on timbers 10 of the frame.

, Where operation of the apparatus is constant it may be desirable to omit adjustment of the 1 discharge hopper, but it is preferred to adjust at least one of.the sides 34 in accordance with any particular operating conditions.

The side plates 34 are pivoted at their upper portion by means of hinges 38, the stationary portions of which are secured to the frame structure.

and to the expansion or manifold chambers 28, whereby said chambersmay be pivoted to change or adjustthe direction of the dust-laden cloud through the discharge hopper. Inaddition, hinges 38 and shownin Figs. 1 and 2, to'form a substantially dust tight connection between the air lines and the discharge hopper. These hinges and end plates 33 reduce loss of air and material being distributed to aminimum.

Atraveling m ismounted in'the path of travel of theploud'of adhesive and air issuing from the discharge hopper, and serves to convey past the discharge hopper a carrier upon ly divided materials. The embodiment shown in the drawings is particularly adapted for the coating of ply-board sheets with powdered albumena and consists of a stationary frame 40 having traveling chains 41 mounted thereon. Stops 42 may be provided to insure traction between the chains and the ply-board, the latter being illustrated at 43. a

As the angle or contact between the sheet and the dust-laden airiromthe discharge hopper approaches 90' a' larger and more closely packed. amount of particles will be deposited upon the Inoperati ,thefeedhopp'erisfllledwithflnely divided-or powdered adhesive materials, such as powdered glue or blood albumen. The feed rollers are then rotated to supply. a curtain-like stream of solid particles to the discharge hpppera a'stheseparticlesenterthedischarge hopper they come in contact with streams of airfrom an evenly distributed coating results.

Hinges 39' are secured .to' the frame structureconverging streams shown in the drawings and 'commingling the air and solid particles in the form of a cloud within the confines of-a.discharge- 39 cooperate, as

provided with small openings whereby a limited which it is desired to distribute the cloud of iilneair nozzles 32. Consequently the particles are" caught by the somewhat turbulent air stream and incorporated therein as a dust-laden cloud.

By the time the air has reached the outlet end of the discharge hopper, the solid particles are evenlydistributed therein, and when the cloud of air and solids settles upon the wet ply-board or other carrier having an aflinity for the solid particles,

The wet ply-board sheet supplies to the dry blood albumen powder deposited thereon sufll-' cient moisture to effect atacky coating; and-the .damp coated sheets, delivered by the machine,

are superimposed in the desired number of layers and subjected to the action of presses known in the art to produce the finished,dry, permanently bonded ply-board.

It is important for obtaining the best results that the operation of the apparatus be maintained as constant as possible.

It is also desirable that the apparatus be sufficiently rigid to prevent an inconstant flow of materials.' The firm seating "of the feed hopper upon the feed rolls materially assists in this respect.

The micrometer adjustment of the ieedrolls allows an accurate control of ,the distance therebetween. As the distance between the rolls may be only a few thousandths of an'inch.'a small air stream results in a finished product which is not otconstant character. It is our discovery that such fluctuations inthe air supply may be offset by employing two air streams such as the n hopper of relatively large area. 'In'a desirable mode of operation, oneof the airnozzles is provided-with openings sufliciently large to supply the requisite amount of air for properly distributingthe materials while the other air nozzle is merely crack that is, his

quantity of air is blended'with. the. major ehstream. Thissmallairstreamhasasteadyinsinfluence upon the major air stream and permits an even distribution of the finely divided materials.

In normal operation, the air pressure employed may be between one and ten pounds, depending upon the result desired.

Theairissuingfromthenoazlesisintermingled and deflected from the sides'of the discharge hopper to create suflicient turbulence to insure even distribution'of the solid particles therein.

The sides of. the discharge hopper, act to a certain extent as bailles. Other baflie arrangements mii'y be used if desired. a V

By pivoting the sides of the discharge hopper at their upper portiomthe crosssectional area of the hopper may be reduced toward the outletend, to increase the speed of the particle-containing air. Once the desired position is determined the same may be maintained constant 'by tightening the clamping crew 38.

From the foregoing illustrative description it willbeseen that our process is susceptible, of various changes, also that it is adaptable'to the coating of other'than veneer sheets, as for instance in the manufacture of .wherciore such modifications as come within the spirit 01' our invention are intended to be included in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The process for making ply-board which comprises directing a measured quantity of dry powdered adhesive downwardly through a restricted passage to form a curtain of the material, directing a stream of air against the curtain to create a turbulent powder-laden stream of air, passing the turbulent stream of powderladen air through a restricted passage, passing a dampened sheet of veneer in the path of the powder-laden air issuing from the restricted passage to coat the sheet of veneer, superimposing the coated sheet of veneer with another sheet of veneer, and applying Pressure thereto.

2. The process for making ply-board which I comprises allowing a measured quantity of dry restricted passage, directing the stream ofpowder-laden air against a damp sheet of veneer to coat the sheet, superimposing a second sheet of veneer on the said first named sheet of veneer, andapplying pressure thereto.

CORNELIUS B. WOODWARD. ROBERT B. KEEFE. EDWIN W. COLT. 

